I remember myself as a child spending time drawing different shoes, clothing, fashions, flowers. Color pencils were some of my best friends.

It was in the 60's, the time of Flower Power all over the World and also in Croatia, where I was born and raised. I was eleven when my parents enrolled me in Classical Elementary School with its emphasis on Arts, ancient languages such as Greek and Latin, and Music School where I studied piano and singing. Further high school education with the same emphasis gave me a good base in the history of arts and music.

As a young adult I wanted to help people as well. It led me to pursue degree in the medical field. I was 29 when I left my native Croatia for Switzerland. I moved from a big city - Zagreb - to a place very close to nature, to mountains ... to myself. I expressed my melancholy after leaving home and after my daughter Oriana by creating portraits.

Through my work as a physiotherapist, I had the chance to meet a graphics teacher. We had many valuable discussions and the opportunity of exchanging drawings, and talking about past experiences. Through this artist, I was motivated to attend education at the New Art School of Zürich in the area of Commercial Arts.

Due to my pregnancy with my daughter Lana I had to give it up and exchange it for a new goal in my life. Since then, the longing for artistic expression gives me no more peace.

Divorcing from my husband had far-reaching but valuable consequences. Suddenly I had a great need to stay alone, in touch with myself, and to maintain a contact to my inner centre. The more I deepened the relationship and love within myself, the more I realised how to put my feelings into art.

This was the background within which the most important works of my artistic activity were produced: "Universe", "The New Beginning", "Release", "Leave off", "Escape", "NY Space One", "NY Space two", "NY Space three". I discovered the way to my real self, to my creative potential, to the unexploited possibilities of self-fulfillment, expression and self-enhancement.

Since that time, art and artistic expression have become a centre of my life. I am always filled with joy every time new ideas are explored and when the paper begins to fill itself.

The love for self-expression and authenticity became bigger and bigger and every time more intense. I am grateful for all the gifts life gives through colours, shapes and beauty. It motivates and inspires me to draw and to make other people aware of the joy that colours and forms may evoke.

Renata Cebular lives, together with her children, Lana (14), René (17) and Oriana (25) in Zurich, Switzerland as a Freelance Artist.